Starting pitchers tonight were lefthander Julio Urías (Los Angeles) and righthander John Lackey (Chicago).
Urías recently made his postseason-debut in Game 5 of the NLDS against Washington Nationals to become the youngest-ever Dodger-pitcher in the postseason.
In that game, Urías was credited with the win.
Today, he made his first start and became the youngest starting pitcher in Major League postseason-history with his 20 years and 68 days.
The youngest before him was Bret Saberhagen, who was 20 years and 175 days when he pitched for Kansas City Royals in the 1984 ALCS.
This year, the rookie was 5-2 with a 3.39 ERA.
In the season, Urías made two starts against the Cubs.
He was the winning pitcher in one of them.
Lackey was 11-8 this season with a 3.35 ERA.
Lackey started Game 4 of the NLDS against San Francisco Giants and then had a no-decision, giving up seven hits and three runs in four innings in what eventually became a 6-5 win for the Cubs.
In the season, Lackey did not pitch against the Dodgers.
In his career, he is 6-3 against Los Angeles in twelve games.
Today was his second postseason-start against the Dodgers.
He also threw against them during the 2014 NLDS when he pitched for St. Louis Cardinals and was the winning pitcher.
The last time Lackey pitched in Dodger Stadium was in August 2013 when he was with Boston Red Sox.
After Julio Urías had retired the Chicago-side in the top of the first, the Dodgers came into scoring position in its first at bat off of John Lackey.
With one out, Corey Seager was hit by a pitch, but then was forced out on a grounder by Justin Turner.
A throwing error by second baseman Javier Baez followed trying to complete a double play and that allowed Turner to advance to second base.
However, the inning then ended when Turner was picked off second base by catcher Willson Contreras.
In the second inning, the Cubs also got into scoring position.
With one out, Javier Baez walked, then a possible double play-grounder by Willson Contreras followed.
Baez was safe on second base when second baseman Chase Utley made an error while trying to catch the throw from short stop Corey Seager barehanded and that gave the Cubs two baserunners.
The error was one of four made today by the Dodgers, its highest total this season.
Both runners stranded, as a strikeout and flyout followed.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Dodgers got very close to open the score.
Adrián González led off with a single, then Yasmani Grandal walked with two outs.
Hereafter, Andrew Toles singled and González took off to score.
A play at the plate followed and González was tagged out by catcher Contreras.
A challenge followed, but the (controversial) play was upheld and so, González was out and the inning ended.
Hereafter, the Dodgers never got back into the game.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Cubs broke the scoreless tie with a 4-run rally.
With this, the Cubs ended a streak of 21 consecutive scoreless innings, which was the longest streak in the postseason-history of the club.
Its previous record was 16 innings in 1906.
Ben Zobrist (bunt) and Javier Baez began the fourth with a single, then Willson Contreras also singled to bring in Zobrist.
When a throwing error followed by leftfielder Andrew Toles, Baez advanced to third base.
He then scored the next run on a grounder by Jason Heyward.
Hereafter, Addison Russell homered to make it a 4-0 score.
After a grounder accounted for the first out, Urías was replaced by Pedro Baez.
He gave up a double to Dexter Fowler, but then closed with a strikeout.
In the bottom of the fourth, with two outs, Josh Reddick was awarded first base on catcher's interefence and then Joc Pederson singled.
But the two Dodger-runners stranded when Lackey closed with a strikeout.
Chicago added another run when Anthony Rizzo led off the fifth inning with a homerun.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Dodgers narrowed the deficit to 5-2 by scoring two runs.
Lackey walked Andrew Toles and pinch-hitter Andre Ethier, then was replaced by Mike Montgomery.
He was greeted with a single by pinch-hitter Howie Kendrick that loaded the bases.
With one out, Justin Turner delivered a 2-run single.
In the top of the sixth, Chicago decided the game by scoring five more runs.
With Ross Stripling as new pitcher for the Dodgers and one out, Addison Russell and Mike Montgomery both singled to put runners at the corners.
Dexter Fowler followed with a runscoring single, then Kris Bryant walked to load the bases.
Next batter Anthony Rizzo then also singled to bring in two runs.
Before today, Rizzo batted 2-for-28, tonight he had three hits.
Rizzo's hit brought in new pitcher Luis Avilan, who gave up a runscoring single to Ben Zobrist, who initially was called out at first base.
That call was challenged and overturned.
Javier Baez followed with a sacrifice fly that brought in Bryant.
When a throwing error followed, Rizzo also scored to lift the lead to 10-2.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Dodgers got two baserunners with two outs, but both stranded.
After being retired in order in the eighth, the Dodgers got one more baserunner in the ninth when Yasiel Puig singled with one out.
But he also was left behind and with that, the Cubs registered a convincing win to even the Series.
|
Chicago wins big to come back in NLCS
LOS ANGELES, California (USA) -
Chicago Cubs registered a comfortable 10-2 victory on Wednesday-evening (October 19) against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the best-of-seven National League Championship Series.
With the win, the Cubs evened the series at 2-2 and forced a sixth game.
That means that the Series will return to Chicago, where Game 6 will be played on Saturday.
Game 5 is scheduled for Thursday in Los Angeles.
On Saturday, Chicago opened with an 8-4 win.
With the Cubs leading 3-1, the Dodgers came alongside in the top of the eighth inning.
The Cubs then rallied for five runs in the bottom of the eighth, highlighted by a pinch-hit, grand slam homerun by Miguel Montero!